Countries across the world are suffering from violent crime, high murder rates, terrorism, and repressive regimes. Some are also experiencing devastating civil wars that have killed thousands and displaced millions. These 18 countries aren’t safe for Americans to live in or visit anymore because of their struggles with safety.
El Salvador
El Salvador was once considered one of the world’s most dangerous countries due to gang violence but has been in a “state of exception” since 2022. This grants authorities the power to arrest anyone they suspect of gang activities and has led to a reduction in gang crime, but violent crime is still high across the country.
Russia
Russia launched an invasion of its southern neighbor Ukraine in February 2022 and has also seen drone strikes and terrorist attacks, including the recent Crocus City Hall attack that killed 145 people. The U.S., U.K., and EU have heavily sanctioned Russia, western businesses have pulled out of the country, and American citizens are advised against traveling there.
Sudan
Sudan is currently being torn apart by a civil war between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF). The Guardian explains that “fighting broke out a year ago in the capital Khartoum,” which has led to over “8 million people being displaced.” Almost two million people have fled to the neighboring countries of Chad and South Sudan, and millions throughout the region face acute food insecurity.
Venezuela
Venezuela is considered one of the world’s most dangerous countries, with high levels of government corruption, a flawed judicial system, and an ineffective police force. The country has a Level 4 travel advisory from the US DOS, and its leadership is hostile to America.
Haiti
Haiti is currently suffering from a power vacuum that gangs have filled, leaving much of the country lawless. Gangs control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and a transitional council has been installed in an attempt to return stability to Haiti.
Honduras
This Central American country of 10 million is one of the most dangerous places on the planet. In 2023, it had a homicide rate of 31.1 per 100,000, much higher than America’s 6.3 per 100,000. Much of the violence in Honduras revolves around the drug trade, with gangs like Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha vying for control.
Syria
Syria has been suffering from a civil war for the past eleven years, killing 350,000 people and causing half of its population to be displaced. Today, the conflict is mostly a stalemate, but Syria still has a travel advisory level of 4 from the U.S. DOS.
Yemen
Yemen has been engulfed in a civil war over the past decade, and the Houthis, a terrorist group, control the capital, Sana’a, and the northwest. They’re an Iranian-backed rebel group that has been targeting and attacking commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas War began last October and are considered a terrorist organization by America.
Palestine (Gaza)
Since the Hamas October 7 attack last year, Israel has launched an offensive against the terror group in Gaza. The U.S. Department of State warns against traveling to Gaza. It explains that America “is unable to provide routine or emergency consular services to US citizens in Gaza as US government employees are prohibited from traveling there.” The armed conflict between the IDF and Hamas in Gaza makes it an extremely dangerous and volatile environment.
South Africa
South Africa suffers from multiple problems, including rolling blackouts, poorly maintained infrastructure, and sustained water outages. However, the most dangerous issue in the country is violence. CNN recently reported that “extraordinary, violent events have… become almost commonplace,” and “someone is killed in the country roughly every 20 minutes.”
Afghanistan
President Joe Biden pulled out American troops from Afghanistan in May 2021, ending a twenty-year presence in the country and ushering in a Taliban takeover. The U.S. Department of State categorizes the country as a four on its Travel Advisory Levels, warning against traveling there “due to terrorism, risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping, and crime.”
Ukraine
Ukraine has been fighting against the Russian military invasion for over two years. Ukrainian towns and cities are regularly struck by ballistic missiles, leading to civilian deaths and destroyed infrastructure, making it a dangerous country to live in.
Myanmar
The military overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in February 2021, and since then, the country has been engaged in a civil war. The New York Times explains that “hundreds of pro-democracy militias, ethnic armies, and local defense forces” are fighting the military, making it “the most fractured country on Earth.”
Guyana
Guyana suffers from high crime levels and low police capacity, with a murder rate around four times higher than America’s. Armed robberies, hold-ups, and domestic and gun violence are common, often catching passers-by in the gunfire.
Papua New Guinea
Organized crime is a major problem in Papua New Guinea, the third-largest island country with one of the world’s highest crime rates. The capital, Port Moresby, and the cities of Lae and Mount Hagen are particularly dangerous.
Nigeria
Nigeria has high levels of violent crime, with muggings and armed robberies common. In recent years, carjackings involving armed gunmen on both urban and rural roads have become more frequent.
North Korea
North Korea is a dangerous country for Americans to live in or visit. Wrongful arrest and long-term detention are serious risks for Americans. In 2016, American college student Otto Warmbier was detained and charged with subversion. He was later released in a vegetative state, dying soon after.
Iran
Iran’s regime is notoriously repressive toward its citizens and hostile toward America and its allies. Its Gasht-e-Ershad, or morality police, regularly detain and assault women who don’t adhere to its strict rules on how to wear a hijab. Iran has a travel advisory level of 4 from the U.S. DOS, which warns of arbitrary arrest and civil unrest.
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